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Maximize your Exposure to Home Buyers via the Internet

By Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Real Estate Agent with Front Gate Real Estate Broker 11085

February 17, 2009 03:38 PM

The real estate market in Mississippi, as it is throughout most of the U.S., is competitive. Sellers compete with each other to attract and hold onto the few qualified buyers who are prepared to buy a home during the current economic downturn. Likewise, Realtors compete for listings and buyers to acquire those listings.

If you need to sell a home in the Metro Jackson area, when you list your home with me, it is placed on numerous search engines as well as the new, user-friendly Jackson MLS system. In addition to being listed on my company's site, http://McIntoshandAssoc.com, and my site, http://PatStarnes.com, your home is also submitted to the following sites:

Listing Syndication

Exposing your home to all available buyers is key in this market, and my marketing plan encompasses every available resource. Over the last few months I've added new avenues to give my clients' properties maximum exposure. (Not all resources are listed.)

Since nearly 75% of all buyers begin their home search on the internet, marketing to internet consumers makes sense.

If you are buying or selling a home in the Flowood, Brandon, Pearl, Madison, Ridgeland, or Jackson area, visit my site, Google me, or contact me directly. Photo of Pat Starnes, Metro Jackson Realtor

Written and Published by Pat Starnes, McIntosh and Assoc., LLC

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Ryan Shaughnessy

PREA Signature Realty - www.preasignaturerealty.com - Saint Louis, MO

Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner

Great post - I would only add that many of the sites that you mention in your post re-syndicate your listing and the listing appears on hundreds of other sites. In today's market, it really is about maximizing your exposure and harnessing the power of the internet. Print ads are dead or at least on the decline in most markets. On a personal note, glad to see you back blogging. I've missed your posts.

Feb 17, 2009 03:42 PM

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS

601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Thanks, Ryan. You're up late tonight! And of course, you are right. Thanks for the advice.

Feb 17, 2009 03:44 PM

Dinah Lee Griffey

Windermere Peninsula Properties - Allyn, WA

Managing Broker Windermere Peninsula Properties

Great client communication. We do the same thing over here-Dinah Lee

Feb 17, 2009 03:51 PM

Matt Grohe

RE/MAX Concepts - Des Moines, IA

Serving the metro since 2003

Pat: Looks like a great program you're offering those folks in Mississippi. You're diligence is bound to pay off.

Feb 17, 2009 03:53 PM

Vickie Nagy

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate - Palm Springs, CA

Vickie Jean the Palm Springs Condo Queen

Nice graphic. I have one from Pointe2 to show internet syndication. Quite frankly there are so many logos it's almost too much to absorb in any meaningful way.

Feb 17, 2009 04:06 PM

Tony & Darcy Cannon

Aubrey and Associates Realty - Layton, UT

The C Team

Pat, great information! Thanks for sharing it!

Feb 17, 2009 05:24 PM

Bill Gassett

RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA

Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

I love my point2 website as well Pat. It makes it so easy to give my clients maximum exposure online!

Feb 17, 2009 11:21 PM

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS

601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Dinah: As agents, we have to make the effort to give our sellers all the exposure we can.

Matt: I'm working it!

Vickie: Thanks! I've considered Point2 and need to research them again.

Tony & Darcy: I thought this would be beneficial to both consumers AND Realtors. Glad you stopped by to visit.

Bill: I'll have to check Point2 out again. I've just added IDX to my site, and think that should bring in more contacts.

Feb 19, 2009 09:43 AM

Anonymous

Laurie Millane, Millane Virtual Assistants, LLC, Real Estate Sup

Pat you are so right, it's all about getting the listings exposure.

I use the sites you mentioned and a few others such as Postlets. I start with Postlets because they have a nice format and it will send your listing to a lot of the sites you listed and will link you to CraigsList.

There are also several free sites that are great if your target market are luxury properties. BeverlyhillsPeople is one I often use for two of my clients.

Another thing to keep in mind is to be sure to enhance your listings with great copy and really great photos. You may want to consider taking it a step further and start doing videos of your listings. By using videos you are basically allowing your viewers to a virtual open house. Posting your videos at various sites like You Tube will also increase your web site traffic and SEO. If you really want to set yourself apart you could even do video of the neighborhood features.

As you can probably tell I am just a tad passionate about marketing my clients listings and I could go on and on but I will spare you.

Thanks Pat for bringing up the topic of Maximizing your Exposure. You certainly know what you are talking about when it comes to marketing listings and attracting buyer interest.

Feb 21, 2009 03:22 AM

Associate Broker Falmouth MA Cape Cod Heath Coker

https://teamcoker.robertpaul.com - Falmouth, MA

Heath Coker Berkshire Hathaway HS Robert Paul Prop

I am the odd man out here. I don't put my listings all over the Net. If you want to understand why, I made a 2 minute youtube. I also started a web site 9 years ago that backs up my position.

If you have been an agent for less than 10 years, Or if you are an ABR who needs the MLS search and other companies' listings to obtain clients, you are probably convinced that the post above is "the only way." But if you are a real listing agent who would like to sell more of their own listings and/or get more customers, answer these questions:

How many times do customers buy the house they see in a picture?
Is it better to have people walk into your office and talk to you personally, or would you prefer that there be someone outside your door screening people before they can talk to you?
If you aren't at the top of search results, are you helping other sites get better ranking when you provide them with your listings.
If you could talk to more customers, would you?
Would your site be found more often if there were fewer competing sites?

Happy selling and listing!

Feb 21, 2009 05:34 AM

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS

601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Heath, you video was informative and entertaining. Thank you for visiting and leaving your response. My first reaction was to defend my position, but after researching your site and watching your video, I understand your point. I have sent a link to my website to link to your site. Thanks!

Feb 22, 2009 06:08 AM

Shane OnullGorman

Eau Claire Realty, Inc. - Eau Claire, WI

Eau Claire Wisconsin, Real Estate Agent & Realtor- Buy or Sell

In case you didn't see this but you have been featured in Rainmaking http://activerain.com/groups/internetmarketing. Thank you for the good post!

Feb 24, 2009 02:51 PM

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS

601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Thanks, Shane!

Feb 25, 2009 12:11 AM

Evelyn Johnston

Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN

The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Yep, you have to be part of all of those! And then try to think of more to set you outside the box!

Mar 03, 2009 11:48 PM

Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty

Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS

601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Evelyn: Outside the Box is best! Thanks for visiting.

Mar 04, 2009 11:53 AM

Dan DesMarais

Home Town Properties - Austin, TX

Great post!! In working with other brokerage firms the common thread on the listing presentaion was where will my house be seen and how will it be marketed, We are in a hhe internet is high tech world now and sellers want maximum exposure. I agree that most people do not by thru pictures but the internet is where most buyers start looking. It cant hurt to expose properties on multiple sites because chances are that the buyer will see you in more than one search and it will stick in treir minds cause everyone wants to work with a go getter

May 08, 2009 12:45 PM